Hola a todos! (Hello everyone!)
Everyone! Friday is finally here ヽ(´ー`)ノ
Today’s topic is “The Closing of Shinjuku FACE.”
Shinjuku FACE is gone.
But honestly, it hasn’t completely hit me yet.
It was about half a year ago, I think? I heard rumors that Shinjuku FACE was closing down.
But come on, there’s no way a perfectly sized venue right in the middle of such a big city would just disappear, right? I didn’t believe it.
But then it was officially announced on X by management.
And I thought, “Ah, so it’s really true…”
It made me wonder, just how many more matches will MIRAI get to have at Shinjuku FACE?
Though in reality, after joining Michinoku Pro Wrestling, my appearances in other promotions increased. It got to the point where my opportunities to wrestle at Shinjuku FACE spiked so much that I completely forgot about counting down the days or feeling sad it was going away. (Laughs)
Back when I was just a fan traveling from Iwate to Tokyo to watch New Japan Pro-Wrestling big matches at the Tokyo Dome or Ryogoku, Shinjuku FACE wasn’t a venue I had much connection to.
Once I became a high school student and started getting interested in going to see various other promotions, I think I might have gone there a few times?
The first time I went, I got totally lost, of course.
I was like, “Where on earth is there a pro-wrestling venue in the middle of a big city like this?” (Laughs)
I was amazed that Korakuen Hall was on the 5th floor, but Shinjuku FACE being on the 7th floor was mind-blowing!!!
Also, even now, I still get completely swallowed up by the sheer amount of people… (Laughs)
Even after becoming a wrestler, I often walked there from Shin-Okubo Station instead of Shinjuku Station.
I have a few specific, vivid memories of Shinjuku FACE that really stick out to me.
First, during my time in Tokyo Joshi Pro-Wrestling in the middle of the pandemic, when we held an empty-arena match at Shinjuku FACE and live-streamed it.
There will never be a lonelier Shinjuku FACE, before or since.
Those black walls just felt so isolating and cold…
Next was during my time in Dream Star Fighting Marigold, when Miraisaku lost our title match and I fell from being a champion.
Honestly, I couldn’t do anything but cry.
At that time, I kept thinking, “What if I could have broken up the pin? What if I could have saved her? What if we had won, and held onto those belts longer—would Miraisaku have made a much bigger name for ourselves as a tag team?” Things like that.
Well, there’s no use dwelling on “what-ifs”!
Also, getting to do New Year’s Eve Pro Wrestling was so much fun!
Although it was incredibly frustrating not to be called for the year-end awards in the categories I wanted to be called for!
Also, the place where I appeared in front of Tomoka Inaba was Shinjuku FACE.
I was so nervous. But I was also so incredibly excited.
Tomoka Inaba said she was so surprised she completely froze! (Laughs)
And Shinjuku FACE was also where we finally made our long-awaited singles match with Tomoka Inaba happen.
I’m so glad I met Tomoka Inaba. I’m so glad I kept wrestling. Feeling that way, I squeezed that happiness tightly in my heart.
Even after joining Michinoku Pro Wrestling, I’ve been given the opportunity to wrestle at Shinjuku FACE many times.
My final match at Shinjuku FACE was at Sareee-ISM on September 26.
There were message boards and such, but maybe because no one was writing graffiti on the walls or destroying the place yet? It didn’t feel real to me at all.
I’ve been in Iwate ever since the next day, the 27th, so I’m honestly half-thinking about going to peek at Shinjuku FACE when I get back to Tokyo! (Laughs)
It was actually pretty frustrating that I couldn’t be there at the venue for the final FACE match on the 30th ( ´ . ¸ . )
I wonder what’s going to happen from here on out…
Since we’re touching on the topic of “the last,” I actually tried imagining “MIRAI’s last” for a second.
Just a vague thought. Just a little bit.
I mean, what exactly is “the last” anyway?
Even if it’s the exact same thing, simply labeling it as “the last” makes it feel special.
The appeal of “the last time.” Human psychology is a strange thing.
But when MIRAI’s final day eventually comes…
I want to avoid using the “appeal of the last time” as much as possible.
Though from management’s perspective, they’d probably want to milk it for all it’s worth?! (Laughs)
Saying things like, “Tomorrow is my last day~” or even pulling a, “Well actually, this is the last one! (´>∀<｀)ゝ”
Whenever a final day is announced, people often say, “Support your favorites while you still can.”
I definitely think that’s true, but… if you want to support someone, you’ll just support them anyway, right~?! (Laughs)
When you find out it’s the end and rush to support them, it’s not just the appeal of the person themselves—it’s that “appeal of the last time” working its magic.
That’s why I want to avoid relying on the “appeal of the last time.” I want to push through to the very end using my own personal charm and appeal. I want to fight through it all.
So everyone, if you ever feel that appeal, if you ever think you want to support me, then please do! (´﹀`)
Back in my fan days, I was just a country bumpkin living out in rural Iwate. So of course I know that “supporting” someone doesn’t just mean showing up to the venue!!
Please continue to support your favorites in your own unique ways! Please continue to support professional wrestling!!
And yet, despite saying all that… I totally fell for the “appeal of the last time” and bought some Shinjuku FACE merch myself.
Well then, please be sure to read my column again next week~ ´ω`)ノ
Translator’s Notes:
- Tamakome (たまこめ): The title of MIRAI’s column is a shorthand reference to her signature catchphrase, “Tamashii Komete!” (魂込めて), which translates roughly to “Putting my soul into it!” or “With all my soul!”
- Miraisaku (ミライサク): A portmanteau referencing the tag team of MIRAI and Mai Sakurai during their time together in Dream Star Fighting Marigold.
- “Where on earth is there…” (あんだべ / Andabe): In the original Japanese text, MIRAI uses a specific Iwate/Tohoku dialect here to emphasize her roots as a rural country girl feeling overwhelmed by the massive metropolitan landscape of Tokyo.
- Support your favorites (推しは推せる時に推せ): MIRAI uses the pop-culture slang oshi (推し – a fan’s absolute favorite member/wrestler) and osu (推す – the act of actively supporting them financially and vocally). The phrase “Push your oshi while you can push them” is a common Japanese fandom proverb reminding fans not to take their favorites for granted before they graduate or retire.
- “Well then, please be sure to read…” (んでば… けどがんせ): MIRAI closes the column using her native Iwate dialect (Tohoku-ben) as a charming signature sign-off to her readers.